First opened to the public in 1933, the Benito Juárez House-Museum was re-inaugurated as a museum in 1974. Now one of Oaxaca’s top museums, highlights include preserved documents about the Mexican War of Independence and Juárez’s famed Reform Laws, as well as period furniture and personal effects. Visitors can explore the one-storey adobe building independently, although some city tours—which typically include mezcal tastings—also stop at the museum.
The Museo de Sitio Casa de Juárez is situated just six blocks north of the Oaxaca City zocalo (central plaza). There’s limited onsite parking, but most visitors find it easiest to arrive on foot to this centric museum.
The Benito Juárez House-Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10am to 7pm. Visit around midday to escape the beating Oaxaca City sun; alternatively, stopping by in the late afternoon can help you avoid the largest crowds.
Benito Juárez was born in San Pablo de Guelatao, Oaxaca in 1806 and moved to Oaxaca City in 1819 where he worked for bookbinder Antonio Salanueva. The one-time governor of Oaxaca, he eventually became the first indigenous president of Mexico in 1861 and remained so until his death in 1872, although his term was thwarted by French Intervention in Mexico. He is perhaps best remembered for introducing the Reform Laws which separated church and state.